Tomorrow morning, Karyn and I fly to Mexico City and then to Lima and then to Cusco. We’ll stumble off the airplane at 11,000 feet and be greeted by a driver holding a sign with our names on it. An hour and a half later, we’ll arrive by van at Sach’a Munay, our home for the first ten days we’re in the Sacred Valley. Karyn and I are flying in early to acclimate and to meet our True Nature tour guide, Brenda. Brenda will introduce us to the Sacred Valley and the three of us will get everything in readiness to welcome 18 travelers—arriving from all over—next week. Brenda will be our guide to Peru. Karyn will teach the yoga and I’ll be the writing instructor. I love being part of a team. But even though my bags are already packed, even though I’ve already started taking chlorophyll to ... [Continue Reading]
Virtual Vacation: Peru
In which Laura and Karyn and 18 writers explore Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of Peru.
Last Words Before Travel
Every week for the past 8 weeks, I’ve been sending our Peru travelers an email for information warming them up for next week’s trip. Here’s the final letter I just sent out. You can read and pretend you’re coming along.
Here’s the letter:
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. – Neale Donald WalschDear Peru travelers, I’m sitting in my office chair this morning, going though all my teaching files thinking about what I want to teach you. I’m preparing your handouts, looking at poems, readings, prompts and class ideas. This means we’re getting close. And my suitcase is 3/4 packed. I know you that you are probably all where I am—freaking out about how much you ... [Continue Reading]
Arrival
A two hour drive to San Francisco, a flight to Mexico City, a overnight flight to Lima and a morning flight to Cusco and an hour and half drive into the magic of the Sacred Valley—and we’re here!
Today is a day of rest and getting acquainted with this retreat center. Tomorrow Brenda, our True Nature Guide arrives so we can get to know each other and plan the next couple of weeks. Before she gets here, in the morning, Karyn and I are going to have a sound healing therapy session with Gonzalo, Go for short, one of the managers here, who gave us our initial tour of Sach’a Munay. Go just happens to also be a sound healing therapist and I’m such an auditory person I thought, why not?
My favorite masseuse at home, my friend Evelyn Hall, has gongs out in her ... [Continue Reading]
The Singing Bowls
This morning before breakfast, Gonzalo led me into the main yoga studio where Karyn will be teaching morning yoga and I will be holding our writing circles. The space is round like a giant yurt, but is called a molloka. I set my things in the corner and sat on the striped mat Gonzalo set out for me. In the front of the molloka was an array of instruments—gongs, singing bowls, digeridos, drums, and others I didn’t recognize and couldn’t name. Gonzalo asked if I had any intention for the healing session. I said I wanted to release the folks from the last retreat—and the last retreat—and to open myself to these mountains and this terrain and the spirit of this Sacred Valley so I can best be of service to the next group, arriving just a few days from now. Gonzalo asked if he could place ... [Continue Reading]
